


Resolutions

by pagerunner



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Missing Scene, Perc'ahlia, episode 78, pre-Thordak battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 08:58:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9227900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pagerunner/pseuds/pagerunner
Summary: A glimpse at what might have been going on behind closed doors in episode 78. Vex/PercyandPercy/Vex, so to speak, since let's give both of them a chance at being in the driver's seat, shall we?





	

**Author's Note:**

> I blame the title on being in a New Year's sort of mood (and on being a headline writer for too long to resist a layered pun), despite the fact that I wrote this in two parts: one in December, one a week into January. I had to get through the battle with Raishan before I dared keep writing, and that...wow, was that a near thing. Thank you, dice, for not breaking my heart after all, or breaking my own resolution to finish this thing. ;)

Not long after they were finished, Vex went soft and pliant in his arms.

It was taking Percy time to catch his breath—a venture made more difficult by the warm weight half atop him, not that he was complaining—and longer still to process his thoughts, but soon he found himself marveling again at what he held. Vex, who just a few minutes ago had been riding him with unabashed ardency, was another creature entirely now: loose-limbed and languorous, happily pillowing her head upon his chest and humming with a much softer sort of pleasure. When he dared to stroke her hair back and trace one fingertip along the subtly pointed tip of her ear, she nuzzled in even closer.

“Mmm, Percy,” she murmured, a smile in her voice. “You are just _lovely._ ”

“Glad…I passed muster.”

“Flying colors,” she agreed, a little sleepily.

Percy looked down at her. He couldn’t see much from this angle, especially without his glasses, but a few details caught his eye nevertheless: the familiar glint of her earring as his fingers brushed by it, the edge of her Slayer’s Take brand on one bare shoulder. He smoothed one hand over it, still captivated by the feel of her skin. Even more sensual details, too, demanded his attention, like the soft press of her breasts where she was leaning against him, and the way one of her legs was still entangled with his.

Between that and the memory of how she’d looked above him, with her skin practically glowing in the candlelight, Percy felt another little rush of arousal. He wasn’t planning on troubling Vex with it, but perhaps feeling the effects—just a twitch, really, but it was enough—she smirked regardless.

“Why did this take us so long?” she asked.

Percy laughed ruefully, trying to collect himself. “I can only call it a grievous error,” he answered with all honesty. “And it’s mostly mine. I should have taken a swig of that Courage far sooner.”

She smiled and uncurled enough to prop herself up again. “Well. Since we’ve demolished that, do you still have any of the mead? That sounded nice.”

Percy reached out with one long arm to rummage through the bag on the floor. When he found the bottle and lifted it, clinking, from the pile, Vex nodded in approval. “Just a moment,” she said. As Percy watched, she got up to find their discarded glasses. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen Vex wander around unclothed, although he’d always tried before to keep his eyes averted, so it was still novel, this obvious invitation to look. And he’d never caught her sashaying about with _quite_ this much deliberate sway.

The fact that she was doing so despite—or maybe because of—the deep red marks on both hips was making him blush.

 _She could heal those in an instant,_ he reminded himself, while she sat back down and offered him a tumbler. _If she hasn’t…it’s deliberate._ Somehow, the thought only deepened his flush. He wanted to curl his fingers back around her, tug her close…

Vex held up her glass in an obvious hint. Percy uncorked the mead and poured out two generous helpings.

“To making up for lost time,” he said. “Even if, perhaps, it’s at the end of times.”

Vex gave him a sardonic look that slowly became teasing. “When better?”

“Indeed.” He took a drink. It went down smooth, and he set aside the glass with a satisfied sigh. When his eyes drifted open again, Vex was watching him, her own mead still untouched. Before he could ask why, she leaned forward, put her glass on the nightstand beside his, and returned with determination to kiss the last traces of his from his mouth. Percy gave himself to it gladly.

He suspected he’d give himself to her for _anything,_ truly, and no matter how dangerously electric that idea still felt, he’d never back away from it now.

Percy eased his hands to the small of her back while the honeyed kiss gradually slowed, enjoying Vex’s pleased little shiver. When she finally paused for breath, she didn’t go far. One hand slid up along the column of his throat, brushing the stubble on his chin before cradling his cheek. There was a curiously intense look in her eyes, one he couldn’t quite read, but she drew him along as she began lying back, not letting him get away, either.

Percy followed until he was poised above her, staring at the dark cloud of hair spread across the pillows, the flush on her cheeks, the expanse of her skin. He didn't realize how much she was looking back until she told him, “You look good up there."

“Do I?”

“Mmm-hmm. Has potential.” A mischievous glint lit her eyes. “And I daresay I got to have my way with you just now. That would make it your turn.”

Percy, realizing now where she was going with this, felt his eyes widen. Vex continued with impressive calm.

“I’ve seen you fight, Percy. I _know_ what kind of stamina you have. Can’t say I haven’t imagined putting it to the test.” She shifted a bit, urging him into place. He couldn’t help but breathe in sharply when they touched. “And really, it seems only fair.”

After a flash of multiple, vivid ideas, he managed a smile. “Well. That’s an…intriguing proposition. Even if it seems like I’d still be giving you exactly what you want in this arrangement.”

She winked. “As I said. Perfectly fair.”

Percy laughed as he bent down, almost close enough to kiss. He dared to let his hips move first, though, in a purposeful roll, and he could feel her gasp when they slid against each other. “Oh,” he murmured, caught between the heady rush of the mead and the headier rush of _her,_ and the heavy, needy sensation re-building deep, deep down. “This does have potential.”

“Then let’s do something about it, shall we?”

He decided it was worth letting her get away with the prompting one more time.

If he did his job right, after all, she’d be speechless in the very best way soon enough.

—

Vex had had a few intentions going into this particular escapade.

They were, to be clear, well-meaning, mutually pleasurable intentions, although a few were also meant to prove a certain point. She’d privately itemized most of those, in fact. _You’ve kept me waiting long enough, Percy. You can’t just_ talk _your way through everything, Percy. You’ll be a much happier person if you’ll just let me shag you senseless, Percy._

And of course she’d originally meant to come out of this little tête-à-tête on top.

All things considered, she was enjoying it entirely too much that while she did, indeed, get her wish to begin with, the tables were still getting turned.

 _I_ did _walk him right into taking charge, let's be fair,_ she thought, somewhere between the gasps and the moans, the moments when she had to give over everything else for the raw physicality of it all. _So I still deserve credit for that idea, after a—ohh…_

That thought cut short at about the time Percy gave her a long, considering look, tensed as if on the verge of a decision, then levered her up and around before thrusting from a new angle in a way that knocked all the breath from her. Soon all she was left with was the knowledge that yes, even if he was still discovering his bravery as they went, Percy had some marvelous ideas of his own.

She could only hold out through two or three of those, though, before all the building tension had to crest. When the surge finally calmed, and after she’d sprawled out again across the bed, she found herself doing her best just to breathe evenly, almost laughing at the high of it all. Most of the sound was muffled by the pillows. She couldn’t be bothered to get up to do anything about that.

When Percy stirred again, though, she heard him whisper her name.

“Mmh?” she replied, which she felt was a valiant effort, really, under the circumstances.

She felt him kiss her shoulder blade, felt his lips curve into a smile. Then he swept her hair out of the way before his hands settled, massaging her back with careful pressure at first but then increasing surety. Vex let out a pleased moan, wriggling comfortably into place. Those soothing touches made a delicious counterpoint to every carnal little detail of how her body still felt, blending everything into a sensual sort of haze.

She also couldn’t help but think that no one had ever given her such consideration in the moments after, and her heart fluttered oddly. Percy—darling Percy—only concentrated harder when he felt that reaction, trying to ease her sudden tension.

Vex sighed, if a little shakily, letting his clever hands go on with their work.

After a while, she finally turned enough to peer over her shoulder. Percy’s expression was fascinatingly nuanced: half studious, half…worshipful, really. Even as a frisson of pleasure went through her to be the focus of that, she said drowsily, “You look like you’re taking notes.”

Percy’s lips twitched upward. “Well." His head tilted. "Maybe a little.”

Vex smiled, too. She couldn’t let that lie. “Evaluating your results? Planning follow-up experiments? Should I expect to be finding those outlined in your sketchbook tomorrow?”

That time he laughed outright. “That might have to be an entirely different sketchbook.”

“Our private one,” Vex agreed, humming softly as he eased a strained muscle. “We’ll pass ideas back and forth. Lots of sexy little diagrams.” She thought about that, then amended, “Mine might have to be stick figures, I’m afraid. You draw so much better than I do.”

Percy smiled once more, but his hands gradually stilled. She looked up to see him studying her again, taking in every detail. Finally she asked, “What is it?”

“Oh. Just…another idea, is all.”

“About?”

“I’ll tell you. In time.”

Vex arched an eyebrow. “And here I thought you said we were already at the end of times.”

Percy took in a deep breath. Vex raised one hand to touch his chest as he did. Her fingertips brushed scar tissue there, a painful reminder of his mortality, and the feeling chilled her before he caught her hand in his own and held it there. It was quiet for a long moment before he finally said, “Then we’ll have to make sure it isn’t so.”

Vex watched the wistful way he smiled. There was nothing for it but to sit up again, cup his face between both hands, and kiss him deeply. “Yes,” she whispered at the end. “Yes, we will.”

He answered by reaching out and holding her tight. Vex tucked her head in against his shoulder. She felt so _right_ there that it ached. _Why did we take so long, why did we take so long…_

 _But we will make it through this,_ she thought. _We must. I promise I’ll try._

Her eyes might have welled up then, but she pressed in even closer before he could see.

And throughout the rest of the night, and far into that fateful dawn, they didn’t let each other go.


End file.
